It is desirable in manufacturing gas water heaters to connect a Piezoelectric igniting device to the gas control valves. Such a connection allows the piezo igniter to be firmly connected to a solid portion of the water heater so that it can be activated safely and easily. Such a connection can also create an externally conductive path that provides grounding on the associated clip.
One configuration may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,421 wherein a piezo igniter is mounted in a bracket on the top of a gas control valve. However, the construction of that bracket is directed to a particular construction/brand of gas control valve and is accordingly inapplicable to other gas control valves.
FIG. 1 shows another conventional gas control valve 10. A piezo igniter 12 is mounted to gas control valve 10 by bracket 14. Bracket 14 is mounted to an upper portion of the side of gas control valve 10 and is attached on one side by a pair of U-shaped arms (not shown) and a stud 15 that engages a depression 17 in the front face 16 of gas control valve 10. Bracket 14 effectively mounts igniter 12 to gas control valve because of a tab 18 that engages the top surface 20 of gas control valve 10 such that application of downward force as indicated by the arrow A on the operative button 22 of igniter 12 maintains bracket 14 in the desired position at the upper side of gas control valve 10.
However, that arrangement is limited to the specific construction of gas control valve 10 and is, therefore, inapplicable to other available gas control valves.